National Leaguers

I was reading a book loaned to me by Larry Holtel on the old-time National League baseball greats. It was a lot of good memories of that bygone era. Names that stuck out were the Traynor brothers and the Wagner brothers. They were in the league long before the Alou brothers were famous. How about: Spahn, Burdette, Sain, and “pray for rain” as a pitching staff. The Reds, of course, were the first to put up a paid professional team and are still quite prominent in National League history. Of course, all the old timers had nicknames, and many were not very complimentary. There was a Noodles, a Mud Pike, a Country, and a Three Fingers. The picture did not show if Three Fingers Brown really had only three fingers on one hand. I am sure a lot of you still remember Smokey Burgess. The other thing that stood out were the old time gloves. In the early 1900’s the glove was barely bigger than the hand and looked as stiff as a board. Joe Morgan even wore a tiny glove for the Big Red Machine, but I believe he was the last major leaguer to use a glove that small. Today a baseball can get lost in the glove. Last, but not least, were the pictures of the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants, and the famous home run by Bobby Thompson. It was a fun trip down Memory Lane.

Upcoming Events

Oldenburg Academy is having a huge book sale. A bag of books (as many as you can fit) for $1. All types of books are available, including some vintage hardback books from long ago. Dates: Tuesday 8/4 and Wednesday 8/5. Times: 10 am- 4 pm both days Where: OA gymnasium

Stayin’ Alive and Franklin County Law Enforcement Agencies invite you to participate in the 32nd Annual National Night Out crime and drug prevention event on Tuesday, August 4, 2015. There will be a free cookout that begins at 6:00 p.m. and will continue until 8:00 p.m. at the Cedar Grove Fire Department. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods a safer, better place to live. Neighborhoods across the nation host block parties, festivals, parades, and cookouts. Sheriff’s Deputies will be grilling hamburgers and visiting with the public. We look forward to hosting this event.” For more information, please visit www.natw.org or www.stayinalive24.org.

Oldenburg Academy is having a huge book sale. A bag of books (as many as you can fit) for $1. All types of books are available, including some vintage hardback books from long ago. Dates: Tuesday 8/4 and Wednesday 8/5. Times: 10 am- 4 pm both days Where: OA gymnasium